William l



(No Model.)

. L. TOBEY. v

VISE.

Patented Apr. 10, 1888.

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UNTTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. TOBEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

VISE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 380,734, dated April 10, 1888.

Application filed November 8, 1887. Serial No. 254,630. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. TOBEY, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Vises, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to bench-Vises, and is an improvement upon that class of vises in which a movable jaw is made to grip the material placed between it and a fixed jaw by the rotation of a shaft acting on a toothed surface to cause it to engage a toothed surface on or secured to the fixed jaw.

My improved bench vise is especially adapted to be usedin machine and other shops for the heavier class or grade of work-that is, for gripping pieces of iron or other metal of considerable size.

In accordance with my invention, the movable jaw of my improved vise supports a rackbar, preferably having two or more cam-slots, through which are extended pins or rollers secured to the said movable jaw.

The rack-bar referred to is provided, as shown, at or near its forward end, with a transverse slot or chamber to receive a nut or in ternally-th readed collar, the said rack-bar also having, as shown, a longitudinal recess to receive a threaded shaft extended through the said nut or internally-threaded collar, the said shaft being extended beyond the movable jaw and provided with a suitable handle, by which rotation may be imparted to the said shaft to cause the movable jaw to bite or grip the ma terial placed between it and the fixed jaw, as will be hereinafter described.

The particular features in which my invention consists will be pointed out'in the claims at the end of this specification.

Figure 1 shows a partial longitudinal sec tion and elevation of a bench-vise embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a transverse section of the movablejaw shown in Fig. 1, on line x w; and Fig. 3, a top view of the rack-bar detached from the movable jaw.

The fixed jaw A, having a biting-face, a, may be fastened in any suitable or well-known manner to a work bench or frame. (Notherein shown.) The fixed jaw A, as herein shown, has secured to its lower face or part, a, preferably by screw of, a toothed bar or surface, a The fixed jaw A is provided with a suitable guideway, in which may be reciprocated a movable jaw, A, having a biting-face, a, to co-operate with the biting-face a of the fixed jaw. The movable jaw A has its main or body portion, as herein shown, made as a channel-bar (see Fig. 2) to receive a rack-bar, I), provided preferably with two or more cam slots, 1), through which are extended pins 1), supported by the sides I) of the channel-bar portion of the said movable jaw, they being herein shown as driven through holes in the said sides, the said rods, as shown, having mounted upon them rollers b The rack-bar b, as herein shown, at or near its forward end, is provided witha transverse slot or chamber, a, to receiveloosely a nut or internally-threaded collar, to be engaged by the threaded portion a of a shaft, 0, extended through a 1ongitudinal recess or pocket, 0, in the said rackbar, thesaid recess orpocket 0 being of greater area in cross-section thanacross-section of the threaded portion 0 of the said shaft, to permit of a slight vertical movement of the said rack bar to engage and disengageitfrom the toothed bar or surface e in a manner as will be described. The shaft 0 is extended beyond the movable jaw A, and is secured to said jaw, as herein shown, by a screw, c (see dotted lines Fig. 1,) extended into an annular groove, 0, in an enlargement, c, of the said shaft, the said shaft being provided with the usual handle, 0 As shown in Fig. 1, the vise is closed, the teeth of the rack-bar I) being in engagement with the teeth of the'bar a. To open the vise, the operator turns the handle in the direction of arrow to unscrew the threaded portion 0 of the shaft 0?, thus moving the jaw A outward,or in direction of arrow 21. The bite of the movable jaw A is not released until the rack-bar is disengaged from the bar a, which does not occur as long as the straight portion of the cam-slot b acts upon the roller b but when the said roller enters the inclined or curved portion 26 of the said slot the rack-bar is raised vertically, its teeth being disengaged from the teeth of the bar a After the rack-bar b has been disengaged from the bar a the jaw A may be drawn out bodily the desired distance to fit any particular piece of work. The handle is then turned in the direction opposite to that indicated by arrow that is, so as to screw the portion 0 of the shaft 0 into the nut 0, thereby moving the rack-bar b in direction of arrow 27 until the inclined or curved portion 26 of the camslot is moved from uuderthe roller, and said roller rests upon the straight portion 25. As the inclined portion 26 is withdrawn from the roller, the bar is moved downward and is brought into engagement with the bar a when the roller rests upon the straight portion 25. On further rotation of the screw thejaw A is moved in direction of arrow 23 to bite or grip the material, the length of grip being regulated by the length of the straight portion 25 of the cam-slot.

I am aware that prior to my invention a movable jaw has been operated by means of a shaft having screw-threads to engage a block having cam projections and operated by cam projections on the movable jaw; but such device is especially designed for light or wood work, and is not suitable for heavy metalwork.

I claim- 1. In a vise, the combination, with a fixed jaw provided with a toothed bar or surface, a, of a movablejaw supported by and movable in the fixed jaw, a rack-bar, b, provided with a camslot, b, a pin or roller extended through said canrslot, and a threaded shaft connected to and so as to operate the rack-bar, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a vise, the combination, with a fixed jaw provided with a toothed bar or surface, a, of a movablejaw supported by and movable in the fixed jaw, a rack-bar, b, provided with a cam-slot, b, and having a recess or chamber, 0, a pin or roller extended through said cam slot, a nut, 0, loosely fitted in said recess or chamber, and a threaded shaft to engage the said nut, as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM L. TOBEY.

Witnesses:

JAS. H. CHURCHILL, B. DEWAR. 

